Video: CIA to investigate Petraeus as he testifies?

posted at 9:41 am on November 16, 2012 by Ed Morrissey

In a story line full of credibility-stretching coincidences, NBC brings us one that doesn’t even clear the laugh test. Just two days after David Petraeus offered to testify on his knowledge of the Benghazi attack and its aftermath, and on the same day when the first of those appearances by the former CIA director will take place, NBC News breaks the story that the agency will open an investigation into Petraeus’ affair with biographer Paula Broadwell to see if Petraeus abused CIA resources to conduct it.

Well, let’s check the timeline on this, shall we? DNI James Clapper knew about the affair for at least ten days now, as has the CIA. The FBI and the Department of Justice both knew about it — and didn’t think that the issue was notable enough to inform the White House about it until Election Day, or the Congressional intelligence committees at all. Senator Dianne Feinstein noted last Sunday on Fox News that Petraeus is hardly the first DCI to have extramarital affairs while running the agency. Did the IG open investigations into those affairs — particularlyafter a resignation, and at the same time that the former Directors offered to testify in an embarrassing scandal involving the White House?

Should there be an investigation as to how Broadwell got access to classified material? Absolutely, although the FBI and DoJ seemed oddly reluctant to make that an issue until the story leaked. This leak looks more like a message rather than due diligence, though.

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